March 10, 2010 > Aviation scholarships available for East Bay students

Aviation scholarships available for East Bay students

By Simon Wong

Organizers of the Hayward Air Rally have endowed two flying scholarships for San Francisco East Bay students, aged 14-18.

"Our idea is to 'give back' to the communities that have supported our group for so long by providing scholarships for two students to attend the EAA Air Academy. Funding for the program is from our pilots' registration fees and from donor sponsors who have supported the Rally in past years," explained Gary Waldeck, Deputy Chair, Hayward Air Rally.

The EAA (Experimental Aircraft Association) is an international flying club with more than 1,000 chapters and 160,000 members worldwide.

The Air Academy is one of the many youth programs offered by the EAA. It is a week-long summer camp in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, where EAA is based. Camps are organized by age groups. Those fortunate enough to attend immerse themselves in aviation and are taught by first-rate instructors.

The week's activities and flight simulations are rounded off with a flight in a real airplane. Once airborne, students will be allowed to take the controls under the guidance of one of EAA's pilots but will not be permitted to take off or land the aircraft.

The Air Academy camps are not free. This is where the Hayward Air Rally makes a difference. Its scholarships will pay for all transportation, tuition and room and board expenses to enable two lucky students to attend the Air Academy starting in 2010.

San Francisco East Bay students, aged 14 - 18 years by the first day of the camp, are eligible to apply. Selection of the two scholarship winners, and an alternate for each camp, will be made by April 30, 2010. The completed application packet must be postmarked on or before March 31, 2010. Receipt of applications will be acknowledged via e-mail.

To download a scholarship application form, visit www.HwdAirRally.org. For other questions, contact EAAProject@HwdAirRally.org.

For information about the EAA organization, visit www.eaa.org

For information about the EAA Air Academy, visit www.eaa.org/airacademy/ and www.youngeagles.org/programs/airacademy/